SEPT CanU6: CITIES AT THE EDGE

Transcription

1 SEPT CanU6: CITIES AT THE EDGE URBANIZING SUBURBIA IN THE REGIONAL CITY GREATER TORONTO AREA TOUR BOOK #CanU6 COUNCIL FOR / CONSEIL CANADIAN URBANISM/ CANADIEN D URBANISME

2 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TOUR ORGANIZERS Steven Bell Manager, Downtown Collaborative, City of Mississauga Ronji Borooah City Architect, City of Markham Leo Desorcy - Program Manager Urban Design, City of Toronto Ute Maya-Giambattista Head of Urban Design, SGL planning & design Alex Taranu Manager, Architectural Design Services, City of Brampton RESEARCH AND BOOKLET DEVELOPMENT Ute Maya-Giambattista Head of Urban Design, SGL planning & design Sarah Khalid - Urban Designer, Urban Strategies Inc. Maira Avila - Planner, Gladki Planning Associates COVER PHOTO CREDITS Top to bottom, left to right: City of Mississauga, City of Brampton, Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine, Rick Madonik / Toronto Star

3 TOURS AT A GLANCE City of Vaughan 3 City of Markham 4 2 City of Brampton City of Toronto 1 City of Mississauga DAY 1 DAY 2 1 Don Mills Centre 1 Downtown Mississauga 2 Parkway Forest & Sheppard East TOD 2 Mount Pleasant Village 3 4 Bayview - Highway 7 York Transit System Markham Civic Centre 3 4 Downtown Brampton Hurontario TOD Corridor

4 DAY 1 Overview 4 Markham Civic Centre 3 Bayview - Hwy 7 2 Parkway Forest & Sheppard East TOD 1 Don Mills Centre

5 DAY 1 Trip 1: Don Mills Toronto by Dr. David L.A. Gordon & Greg Newman (Queen s University) Presenter: Dr. David. L.A. Gordon Research Assistant: Greg Newman david.gordon@queensu.ca newmang@post.queensu.ca Gross Density 10 du / hectare Net Density du / hectare Lot Depth 30 m (100 ) Lot Frontage 18 m (50-60 ) ROW width 20 m (66 ) In 1952, E.P. Taylor, owner of the Don Mills Development Corporation, proposed the development of a new community on 834 hectares of land, in the borough of North York. The plan for Don Mills was heavily influenced by Ebenezer Howard s Garden City; including a greenbelt that takes advantage of the area s natural topography. Today, Don Mills is the model project for conventional Canadian suburbs. KEY DESIGN PRINCIPLES: Perry s Neighbourhood Unit Elementary school within each unit Shopping districts in periphery 10% area to recreation and open space Hierarchy of streets Interconnected open space system Mix of housing types at neighbourhood level Design review of houses Fit to topography Jobs - housing balance DON MILLS PROFILE: BLOCK / LOT The block / lot layout in Don Mills is oriented to preserve and enhance the separation of the pedestrian and the automobile. Streets have been laid out in a hierarchy, to ensure children can walk safely from their home to their school. As displayed in the Google image, there are few, if any, through intersections within the Don Mills development. Further, housing styles vary greatly due to the array of lot sizes offered in the development. As one moves outwards from the centre of Don Mills, there exists a transition in housing form from high rise apartments to low-rise single-family detached dwelling units. 1960s Postcard looking north on Don Mills Rd Image from liveattheshops.com

6 DAY 1 Trip 1: Don Mills Shopping Centre Ralph Giannone (Giannone Petricone), Prof. David Gordon (CanU, Queen s University), Leo Desorcy (City of Toronto) Covered internal courtyard Image by: 5th Element Events Total site area: 16.6 ha (41 acres) Retail area: 4.8 ha (12 acres) Phase 1: 350 sqft of Retail/Food & Beverage; 50,000 sqft of Office space and Central Town Square Phase 2: 8 buildings with 2,000 residential units; 40,000 sqft park; Community Centre Total sqft (all phases): 1,675,700 sqft Project start date: June 2003, 2011 Don Mills was a new town and one of Canada s first suburban communities. When the Don Mills Shopping Centre opened in the 1960s, it began as an outdoor shopping plaza. As tastes changed over time, it was retrofitted into an indoor shopping centre. Starting in 2003, the shopping centre underwent yet another transformation into what is now the Shops at Don Mills (SDM). Commissioned by the Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited, the Shops at Don Mills is a large-scale urban infill project with a 38.5-acre outdoor mixed-use development. It opened in The SDM sets a new standard for Canadian retailing and establishes a lively, pedestrian-focused, all-season experience. Shoppers can enjoy an outdoor retail experience alongside a mixed-use centre complete with offices and apartment buildings. The urban look and feel of this new mixed-use centre and shopping destination is anchored by the Town Square located in the centre of the development. 3D view of master plan Image courtesy of Giannone Petricone Architects

7 DAY 1 Trip 3: Bayview - Hwy 7 York Transit System David Clark (York Transit), Ronji Borroah (City of Markham) Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension Image by: YRRTC Highway 7 West [H2] Pine Valley to Yonge Street Image by: YRRTC Highway 7 East [H3] Yonge Street to Warden Avenue Image by: YRRTC York Region Rapid Transit Corporation (YRRTC) is responsible for the planning, design and construction of the York Region Rapid Transit System (vivanext), and related infrastructure, to deliver the transit priorities set out in the York Region Transportation Master Plan. York Region is located in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area in Southern Ontario and is comprised of nine area municipalities covering. It is the fastest growing region in Ontario, with an expected population of 1.5 million by The transit system is a vital part of the Region s plan to support growth and combat traffic congestion. Since 2001, the Region has had legal jurisdiction and responsibility for transit services. YRRTC delivered the first phase of Viva, which involved the planning, design and implementation of the bus rapid transit network running in mixed traffic, the purchase of new buses, and the provision of off-board payment facilities. This phase was launched in 2005, with a steady increase in ridership of over 22.7 million riders by The second phase, which is currently underway, is known as vivanext and involves the design and construction of 34.7 kilometres of segregated centre-lane rapidways along much of the current Viva network. The plan is being implemented in stages with contracts being awarded for different segments within the network: Highway 7 East in Richmond Hill and Markham; Davis Drive in Newmarket; Highway 7 West in Vaughan (two contracts); and, Yonge Street in Richmond Hill and Newmarket. The vivanext project is being funded by Metrolinx, an agency of the Province of Ontario, with a mandate for a 25-year plan to implement a common vision for transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), also referred to as The Big Move. The vivanext project is an example of The Big Move in action and represents $1.4 billion (2009) in provincial transit investment.

8 DAY 1 Trip 3: Bayview - Hwy 7 York Transit System David Clark (York Transit), Ronji Borroah (City of Markham) Davis Drive [D1] Yonge Street to Highway 404 Highway 9 Y3.3 Davis Davis Drive Drive Y3.2 Green Green Lane Lane Mulock G1 D1 East Gwillimbury GO Station Newmarket GO Station Davis Drive Green Lane N E WMA R K E T Highway 404 Open Rapidway A U R O R A Y3.1 Wellington Street East Rapidway Construction ( )* Rapidway Construction ( )* Rapidway Construction ( )* Rapidway Construction ( )* Rapidway Construction ( )* Yonge Street [Y2.1, Y2.2 and Y3.2] Highway 7 to 19th Avenue / Gamble Road Mulock Drive to Davis Drive Bathurst Street R I C H M OND H I L L Heritage Area Y2 Y2.2.2 Yonge Street 19th-Gamble Major Major Mackenzie Mackenzie Bayview Avenue Bernard Crosby Bloomington Road Stouffville Road Leslie Street Highway 404 Major MacKenzie Drive P Kennedy Road Future Rapid Transit Spadina Subway Extension ( )* Proposed Yonge Subway Extension Terminals GO Transit Rail Lines Park n Ride OMSF M A R K H A M Highway 50 Western Gateway Highway 27 H1 Highway 7 Highway 407 Helen Pine Valley H2H2 TOR O N T O Highway 400 Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Commerce Commerce Jane Street H2.VMC Keele Keele V A U G H A N H2 Promenade V A U G H A N Steeles Avenue Finch Avenue Y2.1 Richmond Hill Centre P Yonge Street Y1 Finch Station H3.1 M A R K H A M Leslie Street Don Mills Road H3.2 P H3.3 M1 H3.4 Warden Unionville Station H4 Steeles Avenue T O R O N T O Highway 7 Highway 407 Finch Avenue Cornell York Durham Line Downsview Station Sheppard Avenue Don Mills Station Sheppard Avenue * Subject to change Map not to scale

9 DAY 1 Trip 4: Markham Civic Centre Ronji Borroah (City of Markham) Markham Civic Centre building Image by Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine Markham has a wealth of cultural heritage resources within its boundaries. While having been inhabited for over 11,000 years by Aboriginal peoples, Markham also has a strong rural and colonial heritage. Recognizing and preserving this cultural heritage is an important element of the City s identity. At the start of the 20th century, present-day Markham consisted of three primary villages: Thornhill, Unionville and Markham Village. Each village had several common characteristics exemplifying a compact and walkable community. The main street was the heart of the village, containing civic functions and employment opportunities, as well as providing for retail, entertainment and commerce. During the postwar years, Markham, like most municipalities in the GTA, expanded rapidly through a series of residential and industrial subdivisions and commercial developments that depended on the automobile for their success. In 1990, Markham embarked on a more sustainable model of development, going back to its historic village roots by planning for new compact, walkable communities such as Cornell, combined with intensification along major transit corridors and a new transit-based urban core Markham Centre, to accommodate additional growth. Since incorporation as a Town in 1971, Markham has experienced significant growth, with a population increasing almost tenfold to just over 310,000 when the Town moved to City status on July 1, Markham has also become a significant employment centre within York Region and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). York Region has also grown since 1971 and is the third most populous Region in the GTA. Forecasts to 2031 anticipate more population and employment growth for York Region than any other GTA Region. Markham s continuing growth stems in part from its strategic position within the southern portion of York Region, adjoining the City of Toronto and its location within the Greater Golden Horseshoe, one of the largest urban complexes in North America. Markham is directly served by two 400-series highways (Highways 404 and 407), a series of designated Regional arterial roads, and inter-regional rail and bus service, including GO Transit, York Region Transit, and City of Toronto transit. Within this context, Markham s planning decisions have not been about whether to grow, but rather how to grow.

10 DAY 1 Trip 4: Markham Centre Randy Pettigrew (Remington), Ronji Borroah (City of Markham) Highway 7 13 Warden Avenue 2 Verdale Road 1 Birchmount Road < To Highway minutes Highway 407 Enterprise Boulevard Birchmount Road Market Drive Total site area: 405 ha (1,000 acres) located amidst 101 ha (250 acres) of valley lands Total developable land: 304 ha (750 acres) 41,000 residents in 20,000 units and 39,000 jobs (2010) Project commencement: 1990 Projected project completion: 2031 Markham Centre was created in 1990 as part of the City s growth strategy. This included the development of dense new neighbourhoods such as Cornell along its northeastern boundary, as well as the establishment of a new downtown for the municipality, which itself was the result of an amalgamation of three villages in The Centre has been envisioned to be a mixed-use, high density, transit supportive, pedestrian focused complete community containing a mix of uses suitable to a City Centre, including residential, commercial, cultural, recreational, institutional and educational facilities, connected together by a vibrant and high quality public realm. Markham Centre is also planned as a sustainable community. All the buildings will be LEED certified and served by Markham District Energy, making it one of the largest LEED communities in North America. At total build out, Markham Centre will accommodate over 25 million sq.ft. of development and several acres of parks, plus access to the trail system in the Rouge Valley. Currently, there are about 1 million sq.ft. of office space, about 200,000 sq.ft. of retail space, and over 3000 residential units, plus Markham Civic Centre, Flato Markham Theatre, Unionville High School (one of the top three schools in Ontario), Bill Crothers School (a top athletic high school), a YMCA, and several parks. Under construction are the 80,000 sq.ft. Pan Am Games Centre; a multi-use complex including a 2400 seat Cineplex theatre, several thousand sq.ft. of retail and 80,000 sq.ft of office space; a Marriott Hotel; a 350,000 sq.ft. head office building for a multinational corporation; and approval for over 3500 residential units. Enterprise Boulevard Image courtesy of The Remington Group and Quadrangle Architects

11 DAY 2 Overview 3 Downtown Brampton 2 Mount Pleasant Village 4 Hurontario TOD Corridor 1 Downtown Mississauga

12 DAY 2 Trip 1: Downtown Mississauga Steven Bell and Mississauga Team (City of Mississauga) Downtown 21 Master Plan: proposed main street district/light trail transit Image courtesy of the City of Mississauga Since it rural beginning as farmland in the 1970s, Downtown Mississauga has been evolving into an exciting urban place. Today, the Downtown Core consists of high-density residential developments, office buildings, mixed-use developments, parks, institutional and cultural facilities, civic uses and recreational and entertainment uses developed around the periphery of the Square One Shopping Centre. Over the last decade, flexible zoning provisions combined with favourable market conditions have resulted in extensive private investment in high-density residential and mixed-use condominium development such as the internationally acclaimed Absolute/Marilyn buildings. During this time, there has been some expansion of the Square One Shopping Centre but limited new office development. Recent public investments, including the new Sheridan College campus, regional transit infrastructure Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), planning for Hurontario Light Rail Transit (LRT), and significant city wide public realm investments such as Celebration Square, continue to enhance the Downtown s role as a regional destination in the Greater Toronto Area. (GTA) The Downtown Core is located within a major designated growth area and identified as an Anchor Hub in the Regional Transportation Plan. It continues to be a significant focus for investment in the GTA. The Downtown21 Master Plan sets the direction for transforming the Downtown Core from a suburban model to an urban mixed-use centre. The objective is to create a high quality, pedestrian friendly, human scaled environment that is a meaningful place for all citizens and also continues to attract lasting public and private investment to support existing and planned infrastructure, particularly higher order transit. With the ongoing commitment to public transit infrastructure combined with transit supportive developments, this area will develop as a key mobility hub within the GTA. The existing road pattern downtown is made up of super blocks. An expanded road network is proposed that will create an urban pattern of development blocks that are walkable in scale and well connected. The new road network will result in urban scaled blocks, providing routing options

13 DAY 2 Trip 1: Downtown Mississauga Steven Bell and Mississauga Team (City of Mississauga) Downtown 21 Master Plan: proposed main street district/light trail transit Image courtesy of the City of Mississauga for vehicular, servicing and goods movement, pedestrian and cycling movement within the Core. The scale of the streets is to be narrower with special attention paid to the public realm and elements within the boulevard to ensure a comfortable, enjoyable and safe pedestrian environment. Downtown Mississauga has already begun its transformation from a suburban auto-oriented centre, to one that is truly urban, rich in character, memorable and geared to the pedestrian experience. The Downtown which forms a part of the Urban Growth Centre is expected to be the focus for population and employment growth in the City to The Core is expected to maintain its prominence as the city s the highest density mixed use centre. Going forward, it will be necessary to ensure a balance between residential and employment uses including retail, in order to achieve a sustainable downtown core.

14 DAY 2 Trip 1: Downtown Mississauga Steven Bell and Mississauga Team (City of Mississauga)

15 DAY 2 Trip 2: Mount Pleasant Village Alex Taranu and Brampton Team (City of Brampton) Mount Pleasant Village Image courtesy of City of Brampton Aerial view of master plan Image by: Mattamy Homes Total site area: 39 ha (96 acres) Approximate number of dwellings: 1,300 Project Start Date: 2010 Completion Date: 20 Mount Pleasant Village is an urban transit village, a new neighbourhood developed around and based on transit and active transportation. It is located in the northwest area of Brampton, around the new Mount Pleasant GO commuter train station. It serves as a mobility hub connecting inter-regional GO service (rail and bus) with Brampton s local transit. The community features extensive environmental restoration, an urban structure with a series of mixeduse nodes along a strong transit spine, a variety of transit supportive built forms and the Mount Pleasant Village transit-oriented development (TOD) as its centre. The Village is highly walkable and has significant features in support of other active transportation forms such as cycling. Its layout is focused around the new square being built just to the north of the GO station, and has two main spines one along the main bus transit route connecting with the new community to the north-west, and a second green spine connecting to the city-wide park and the integrated natural areas to the north. The radial pattern of development allocates higher density forms along the main streets and around the square, and distributes less denser forms towards the edge. Mount Pleasant Village represents the new face of greenfield development in Ontario and it is a demonstration of Brampton s work for smarter growth, sustainable and liveable development for quality urban design. Central Park with train station to the left Image by: Mattamy Homes

16 DAY 2 Trip 3: Downtown Brampton Alex Taranu and Brampton Team (City of Brampton) Rose Theatre and Garden Square by the four corners Image by Land Art Design Established in the early 19th century, Brampton grew out of a small settlement. Its historical heart is the four corners at Main and Queen Streets, and its identity was established by the extensive floral greenhouses that bordered the downtown, resulting in the Flowertown nickname. Although the downtown was severely altered with a few landmark buildings preserved, the surrounding residential areas are very well preserved. In particular, the landmark Main Street South still tells the story of the old Brampton. With the arrival of the car came the first Brampton Mall and developments like Peel Village. Downtown revitalization began in the late 80s with the new City Hall and the Transit Terminal. Plans for Downtown revitalization and Queen Street intensification were drafted in the late 90s culminating in the new Downtown Urban Design Vision in Designated as an Urban Growth Centre in the provincial Places to Grow Plan, Downtown and Queen Street are subject to intense work focusing on revitalization, transit-based intensification in balance with strengthening the area s character and identity and heritage preservation. Downtown Brampton also a designated Mobility Anchor Hub in the Metrolinx Big Move Regional Transportation Plan. It is located at the intersection of three major regional transportation and development lines: the Union Kitchener GO Rail line; the Queen Street Highway 7 corridor with Zum service, and Viva connections. There are plans to expand a dedicated lane for high order transit in the Hurontario Main Corridor. Downtown and Queen Street continue to be a key part of the City`s new Strategic Plan. Work to introduce a higher learning institution is underway, plans for a future Central Library and the revitalization of the Library block are being drafted, and urban design plans seek to revitalize the Etobicoke Creek with a riverwalk, a revamped Rosalea Park and private development opportunities. These will strengthen the Downtown s vitality and identity. Downtown with GO Transit Image courtesy of City of Brampton

17 DAY 2 Trip 3: Downtown Brampton Alex Taranu and Brampton Team (City of Brampton)

18 DAY 2 Trip 4: Hurontario TOD Corridor Alex Taranu and Brampton Team (City of Brampton) Ultimate Vision: Cooksville Station Image from lrt-mississsauga.brampton.ca A proposed Light Rail Transit (LRT) system is a key part of Mississauga and Brampton s vision for the Hurontario-Main corridor. An effective transit system through this corridor will be a means to effective, sustainable economic and residential growth. The LRT will meet north-south transportation needs promoting development along its route as well as providing connections to inter-regional links such as Bus Rapid Transit corridors and GO Transit. This is a large, complex city-building project from the Port Credit GO Station in Mississauga to the GO Station in Downtown Brampton. More than a transportation route, the LRT system is intended to be a means of economic and residential development, and improved quality of life throughout Mississauga and Brampton. This project will help transform the community from suburban to urban. It supports growth and positive change by connecting people with destinations using sustainable transit. The Hurontario-Main LRT will be designed to address congestion and improve traffic along the corridor. Metrolinx, along with the cities of Mississauga and Brampton are investing in efficient transit, to build vibrant, safe, prosperous and connected communities. Text source: Proposed LRT Route Alignment Image from lrt-mississsauga.brampton.ca

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20 Thank you to all our sponsors: The Planning Partnership Urban Design. Landscape Architecture. Planning. Communications COUNCIL FOR / CONSEIL CANADIAN URBANISM/ CANADIEN D URBANISME